ASFA Elections: Polling Extension Leads to Quorum

Fee-Levy Increase Voted Down Again

Julia Sutera Sardo is ASFA’s new President-elect. She was their VP Internal Affairs and Administration. Photo Kelsey Litwin

The Arts and Science Federation of Associations general elections failed to reach quorum during the polling period that ran from March 21 to 23. Polling was extended from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. the day after polling was originally supposed to close.

Extensions are allowed when elections fail to reach quorum, according to Chief Electoral Officer, Samuel Miriello.

A total of 459 students voted this year. Quorum is 435—2.5 per cent of the 20,000 students who are represented by ASFA.

Once polling closed for the second time, it was revealed that all candidates were elected, and all but one of the referendum question passed. The $0.12 fee-levy increase, which would have made ASFA’s fee-levy $1.34, was voted down again. This was the sixth time ASFA has tried to increase their fee-levy in the last two and a half years.

The remaining empty positions will be filled later in the year at a future ASFA council meeting, according to current Vice President of Internal Affairs and Administration, and President-elect, Julia Sutera Sardo. It is still unclear on how the positions will be filled.

The full results are as followed:

Executive

President

Julia Sutera Sardo
Yes: 305
No: 91
Abstain: 53

Vice President of Social Affairs

Christopher Czich
Yes: 297
No: 56
Abstain: 92

Vice President of External Affairs and Sustainability

Bianca Bruzzese
Yes: 266
No: 40
Abstain: 63

Vice President of Academic and Loyola Affairs

Gregory Bedell
Yes: 239
No: 49
Abstain: 115

Vice President of Finance

Francesco Valente
Yes: 295
No: 38
Abstain: 113

Vice President of Internal Affairs and Administration

Steven Tutino
Yes: 265
No: 59
Abstain: 115

Independent Councillors

Andrea Gauthier
Yes: 263
No: 70
Abstain: 95

Rachel Hutchinson
Yes: 222
No: 54
Abstain: 95

Gaëlle Kouyoumdijan
Yes: 234
No: 57
Abstain: 128

Alisa Knezevic
Yes: 209
No: 61
Abstain: 146

By-Law Changes—PASSEDDo you, as a member of the ASFA, approve of the following By-Law changes?
Yes: 185
No: 90
Abstain: 149

Fee Levy Increase—FAILEDDo you as a member of the ASFA, agree to increase the fee levy by $0.12/credit, from $1.22/credit to $1.34/credit, to be adjusted annually in accordance with the Quebec Consumer Price Index, effective the beginning of the semester of Fall 2017?
Yes: 166
No: 207
Abstain: 56

Quorum Change—PASSEDDo you as a member of ASFA, agree to these changes in the By-Laws, more specifically, article one hundred and fifty eight (158) to allow quorum for Annual General Elections, By-Elections and any Referendum questions to be 400 hundred students rather than 2.5 % of students?

Yes: 207
No: 137
Abstain: 87

Non-Hierarchal Titles—PASSEDDo you as member of ASFA, agree to changing the names of the ASFA executive positions to non hierarchical titles? President to General Coordinator; Vice President of Social Affairs to Social Coordinator; Vice President of Finance to Finance Coordinator; Vice President of Internal Affairs to Internal Affairs and Administration Coordinator; Vice President of External and Sustainability to Community Outreach and Sustainability Coordinator; Vice President of Academic and Loyola to Academic and Loyola Coordinator.
Yes: 252
No: 87
Abstain: 88